How to know if your child is suited for studying abroad

Making the decision to study abroad can be hard. It’s a testing time for both student and parent. You might be considering whether this is the best thing for your child. You might be questioning whether they will excel in a new place, maybe even speaking a new language. But to help you best consider whether your child is suited to this kind of educational experience, we’ve laid out our top indicators below.

They are curious about the world

The best international students are interested to meet new people from new places. They enjoy hearing other people’s perspectives and sharing their own. They’re constantly dreaming up their future adventures and asking questions about how the world works. If your child enjoys exploring and learning, there’s a good chance that studying abroad could be the ideal fit for them. An education abroad would nurture their curiosity and an international high school environment would help them towards becoming a global citizen – the kind of student who is accepting of others, well informed by a variety of experiences apart from their own, and confident about their place in the world.

They benefit from one-to-one teaching and support

 All students learn in different ways, at different speeds, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Because international schools anticipate diversity, they’re much better positioned to offer an individual, personalized learning experience. If your child isn’t getting the teaching and support they need in their current situation, they might be more suited to high school abroad. Maybe you’ve noticed that they’re less engaged with the subjects where they face difficulty. Or perhaps you think your child has more to give but isn’t being afforded the time and resources they would need to thrive. These factors could indicate your child is suited to a more personalized education abroad.

They have big dreams and aspirations

If your child is motivated by a particular dream or career goal, it’s important to ensure their education is preparing them for success. Unless you have the best universities on your doorstep, it’s feasible that one day your child will need to go abroad to get the best possible start in their career. These universities value applicants who have already studied internationally for high school because of the skills that students learn from the experience. Independence, confidence, academic excellence, language skills, knowledge of other cultures and traditions – these are all tools that study abroad could equip your child with on their journey towards their goals.

They thrive on new challenges

If your child is constantly looking for opportunities to try something new or test themselves, we’re confident they would be well suited to high school abroad. International students are naturally ambitious, but really thrive when out of their comfort zone. If your child is a natural adaptor, able to find a place for themselves in many different environments, they could be an international student in the making.

Although, maybe this doesn’t quite sound like your child yet? If they’ve yet to be challenged, have some confidence still to grow, aren’t sure what the future holds, need some support and guidance so they can really come into their own – then it’s possible study abroad could be transformative and the ideal opportunity for your child’s personal development.

EF Academy International Boarding Schools opens a world of opportunities for high school students by providing them with a superior education abroad, thorough preparation for university and a future that knows no borders.